Virus Armed With Gene Scissors Defeats Superbug, Saves Patient

A patient battling a life-threatening infection from a superbug has been saved by a genetically engineered virus. The patient, who had received a kidney transplant, was suffering from a severe E. coli infection that no longer responded to antibiotics. Doctors at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center turned to a bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria, as a last resort.

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A patient who was on the verge of death due to a bacterial infection was saved thanks to a virus.

This particular bacteriophage was enhanced with CRISPR gene-editing technology, allowing it to specifically target and destroy the antibiotic-resistant E. coli. The treatment proved successful, clearing the infection and allowing the patient to recover. The research, led by Dr. Saima Aslam, a professor of infectious diseases at UCSD, highlights the potential of phage therapy combined with gene editing to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

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This E. coli was a superbug that did not respond to existing antibiotics, but it could not win against a bacteriophage virus armed with gene editing.

Superbugs, bacteria that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, pose a significant global health challenge. Traditional antibiotic treatments are becoming increasingly ineffective, leading to prolonged illnesses and higher mortality rates. This case demonstrates a novel approach that could offer new hope in the fight against these dangerous pathogens.

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The research team of Professor Saima Aslam (Infectious Diseases, Long-Term Transplant) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Hospital, 'saved the patient's life thanks to the virus.'